Feb 2, 2018

Review: Everless by Sara Holland

"In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself."

I know this was a much-anticipated release for much of the bookish community but I was left feeling a little...underwhelmed. I'm not sure if the book was overhyped and that's why I didn't enjoy it as much or if I just truly didn't enjoy it.I started off loving the book. It was intriguing, having time be currency and losing it a form of punishment, and I was sucked into the book. As it went on, however, I started losing interest and I began skimming the story. I was still intrigued but you know it's not going to be a 5-star hit if I start skimming. The main character, Jules, was a turn off for me. She's kind of just flitting around, wanting justice for her father and trying to be strong, but then she runs into Roan. Roan turns her into this huge pile of mush and it is so frustrating for me! She acts so bravely and courageous around Liam (whom she supposedly is terrified of), but then suddenly can't control her feelings around a boy she hasn't seen in years. It is just so inconsistent. The ending was what made this book 3 stars for me. It just kind of ended...like there was this big plot twist and then really nothing. I wish she had ended the story right after the plot twist. It would have been more dramatic and would have kept me hooked. I think this was a story that I fell in love with the world rather than any of the characters or actual storyline. I just find the idea of "blood-letting" very interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I will definitely be continuing with the series but I'm hoping for me. I 100% believe that this book was just a tad bit over-hyped for me. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

2 comments:

I have been seeing so many five star reviews of this one, but thankfully there have been some three/two star reviews trickling in! I'll be picking this up (sometime) this year, but I hope my expectations aren't too high. Thanks for reviewing!

I can definitely see why some people would be inclined to give it 5 stars. The story's premise and overall plot line are amazing and nothing we've really seen before, but I just found the characters and writing to be lacking. Thanks for reading :)